Liner for maintaining paint and brush and method for using same

ABSTRACT

A lined paint bucket assembly, and component parts and subassemblies therefor for use with paint buckets typically in ordinary house or room painting. A flexible plastic liner is provided with a stiff but deformable frame, and is inserted into a paint bucket. The frame has a base and vertical upright. When painting work is interrupted, the paint brush is supported in a wet and undeformed condition and the paint is sealed by deforming the frame uprights and tieing off the liner and uprights around the paint brush handle.

United States Patent 1191 Foreman Sept. 16, 1975 1 1 LINER FOR MAINTAINING PAINT AND 3,027,999 4/1962 Heroy, Jr. 206/361 X BRUSH AND METHOD FOR USING SAME 3,31 1,288 3/1967 bemelson 220/65 UX 3,352,520 11/1967 Bumgamer et a1. 220/65 X Inventor: Lester Foreman, 15 Laurel 3,406,812 10/1968 Henry 206/361 x Sharon Hill, Pa. 19079 3,643,854 2/1972 Holmes 220/65 X [22] Filed: Sept. 3, 1974 Primary ExaminerWtlliam 1. Price 1 PP N04 502,291 Assistant ExaminerSteven E. Lipman Attorney, Agent, or FirmPaul Maleson [52] US. Cl. 206/361; 220/63; 229/14 BE;

248/95; 248/110 [57] ABSTRACT I [51] Int. Cl. A46B 17/02; B65D 5/60 A lined paint bucket assembly and component parts [58] Field of Search 206/152, 15.3, 209.1, and Subassemblies therefor for use with paint buckets 206/361 3622; 211/65 66; 220/63 65; typically in ordinary house or room painting. A flexi- 229/14 14 BE; 248/95 l l3 ble plastic liner is provided with a stiff but deformable frame, and is inserted into a paint bucket. The frame [56] References Cited has a base and vertical upright. When painting work is UNITED STATES PATENTS interrupted, the paint brush is supported in a wet and 1,983,619 12/1934 Lent 206/15.3 undeformed condition and the paint is sealed by de- 2,044,985 6/1936 Holmberg 206/361 forming the frame uprights and tieing off the liner and 2,300,845 11/1942 Raszewski.. 206/361 X uprights around the paint brush hand|e 2,562,482 7/1951 Weisser 206/361 2,776,050 1/ 1957 Switzer 206/361 9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures LINER FOR 'MAINTAINING PAINT AND BRUSH AND lVIETHOD FOR USING SAME BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION or in combination therewith, for the purpose of preserving the paint and preserving paint brushes.

2. Prior Art It has been known to provide paint buckets with provision for excluding air, as by being collapsible, as in US. Pat. No. 3,173,573. It has also been known to provide a great many different types of liners for containers of many different descriptions, as exemplified in US. Pat. Nos. 3,027,044; 2,025,932; 2,020,630; 3,227,305; 2,348,622; and 3,610,455. Devices such as clips for holding paint brushes are also separately known. Neither this art nor any other known art discloses any device having the range of utility and the combined functions of this present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide a lined paint bucket assembly. It is another object of this invention to provide a linerframe assembly suitable for use in a paint bucket. y

It is another object of this invention to provide a liner and frame assembly insertable into a paint bucket, and being provided with an attached tie, whereby a brush may be held within an enclosure in a vertical position and the surface of a quantity of paint may be sealed off to a substantial extent.

Other aims and objects of this invention are made apparent in the following description and drawings.

A flexible thin sheet material liner in the form of an open ended bag is provided adapted to fit into a paint bucket. A frame is provided inside the liner. The bottom of the frame is a circular ring to hold the liner open. A plurality of uprights extend upwardly from the ring. Each of these is stiff but capable of being deformed by hand pressure. The liner and uprights extend above the level of the paint bucket. Preferably, a stiff but hand-deformable tie is affixed to the liner on the outside and near the top thereof. When it is desired to interrupt painting, the brush is suspendedvertically with bristles in the paint and the top portions of the uprights and the top portion of the .liner' are crushed against the handle and secured with the tie. This keeps the brush undeformed and moist and keeps the paint sealed. When it is desired to use the bucket for another paint, the liner isremoved and disposed of.,

' Some advantages of the invention include-the ability to easily preservethe paint from-crusting, drying or thickening during interruptions, to keep the brush from drying or caking or being deformed during interruptions, and to reduce or eliminate cleaning operations during interruptions and at the end of the painting job.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded view in front perspective showing the paint bucket, liner, and frame vertically displaced from each other.

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the lined paint bucket assembly in the sealed condition and holding a brush. 7

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a paint bucket with a liner and frame assembly therein. FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a filled paint bucket with a liner and frame assembly in sealed condition and supporting and maintaining a paint brush.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention may best be initially described in connection with FIG. 1. A paint bucket or paint can 2 is provided, typically equipped with a bail or handle 3. The bucket or can is of conventional construction as is common in painting, and is preferably straightsided or slightly upwardly flaring. It is preferably of circular cross-section in a horizontal plane. The handle forms no part of the invention.

The line 4 is a thin sheet flexible bag, closed at the bottom and opened at the top, and preferably generally conforming to the interior size and shape of the paint bucket 2 except that the sides of liner 4 extend higher than the sides of the paint bucket for reasons described below. The liner may preferably be of common plastic such as polyethelene or polyvinyl chloride. The liner is preferably transparent but this is not essential to the practice of the invention. The desired characteristics of the liner material are that it be reasonably compatable with the paint and have reasonable strength for the purpose, as well as being deformable or flexible. Heavy gage waterproof paper is a possible alternative to such plastics as polyethelene.

A tie 5 is fastened to the outside surface of liner 4 by means of tab 6. Tie 5 is preferably made of 'a piece of stiff but hand bendable wire, which may be braided. Its purpose, as is explained in more detail below, is to tie off the top of the liner under certain conditions. Thus, the requirements of the tie 5 are substantially the same as the requirements pertaining to ties which are commonly used to tie off plastic bags, such as are provided for rubbish, garbage, or for the storage of food. The tab 6 is preferably a plastic piece adhesively secured on its underside to the outside of liner 4 and trapping the end of tie 5 so as to hold it in the required place. Tab 6 is provided as a convenience so as to insure that tie 5 is available when needed. Tie 5 is preferably affixed to the liner 4 near but slightly below the top edge thereof. The exact location is not critical.

The frame 7 is preferably made of wire which may have the same general characteristics as have been'described in connection with tie 5. As a difference, it is preferable that the elements of frame 7 be of somewhat heavier gage, that is, have somewhat more stiffness and structural strength than the tie 5. The frame 7 cornprises a bottom frame base This is a circular ring, horizontally disposed, and in the assembled condition is inserted as far as it can go into the liner. It has substantially the same dimensions as the interior bottom dimension of the liner, and it is apparent that when inserted, the frame base 9 holds the liner open or expanded. I

A plurality of frame uprights 8 are affixed to the frame bar 9, as by soldering, welding, or' by mechanical afiixation such as twisting or crimping. The exact manner of attachment is not critical to this invention. The

frame upright 8 extends preferably nearly but not quite as high as the height of the liner 4. The generally prefered relationship between the frame uprights Sand the liner 4 is best shown in FIG. 3. The exact height with relation to the top of the liner is not critical.

The structural requirements of the frame uprights 8 may be further described by stating that they should be deformable enough so as to be easily bent by hand. They should be strong enough so that a plurality of them, at least 3 and preferably 6, when sitting in a container of liquid, as best shown in FIG. 4, and bent at the top as shown in that figure, have enough strength to support the type of paint brush normally used with a container of that size, when there is some liquid support for part of the brush.

It will be seen from FIG. 8 that the frame uprights 8 and the liner 4 each extend above the top of the paint bucket 2. The extent is sufficient so that when the upper portions of the liner and the frame uprights are grasped and crushed toward the center as in FIG. 4, they can come together to form a neck 15 around the handle 11 of a paint brush 10, so that the paint brush may be supported as shown in FIG. 4 and so that there is a small neck section at and around the point of greatest constriction. The amount of material in the neck section is preferably such that some of the handle of a typical paint brush will protrude above the upper edge of the neck. The exact dimensional relationships are not critical, and it is apparent that various paint buckets and cans may vary in their general dimensional relationships, although the typical standard paint buckets, as for example standard 1 and 5 gallon buckets or cans, have at least very similar general dimensional relationships.

In preparing to use the invention, a bucket 2 is provided. Then, a liner 4 that is inserted into the bucket and a frame 7 inserted inside the liner. The frame 7 and the liner 4 may be preassembled by inserting the frame into the liner as has been described, and then inserting the liner-frame assembly into the bucket 2. This produces the condition best shown in FIG. 3. The lined paint bucket assembly is now ready for use. Paint is poured in to the desired amount.

When painting is interrupted for any reason, such as a rest, or a meal, or the end of a day for example, the usefulness of this invention comes into play. The brush 10 is held by the handle 11 with one hand generally in the center of the horizontal plane of the liner. The other hand of the user crushes or depresses the sides of the liner, together with the frame uprights 8 against the handle of the brush. It is desirable that the brush 10 be thus maintained substantially vertical with the brush bristles 13 as near as may be exactly totally submerged in the paint l4 and the brush socket l2'just above the level of the paint 14. This situation is shown in FIG. 4.

The tie 5 is then wrapped around the outside of the liner as shownat the point of greatest constriction. This tie maintains a reasonably tight seal of the liner sheet against the handle and also helps hold the frame uprights 8 in place.

A typical prefered liner may be 5% inches in diameter on the bottom, 6% inches diameter on top, and 9 inches in height. There are preferably 6 wire stiffeners or frame uprights. These dimensions are suitable for a common size of paint bucket.

When the work has been interrupted and the lined paint bucket assembly is in the condition as shown in FIG. 4, a number of benefits are obtained. The shape and flexibility of the brush is maintained for a long period of time because its bristles are freely hung rather than being in contact with any solid surface, and they are immersed in paint. Thus, they will not dry out and will not be deformed. The handle and socket tend to remain clean, because the vertical orientation is suitable for having any paint on the handle and socket run down into the main body of the paint. The paint itself is able to be maintained much longer, since there is at least a good degree of seal. Thus, there is less thickening of the paint, formation of crust and generally drying out. It has been found that painting can be interrupted for at least 8 days with the paint and the brush undergoing no apparent change.

Another advantage is that the same paint bucket may be used for different colors or types of paint without the necessity of burning of scrubbing out the bucket. That is, when one particular color paint job is finished, the liner is removed, and the liner has of course protected the inside of the bucket from Contact with the paint.

It is apparent that a number of time consuming cleanup jobs of various types are reduced or eliminated by the practice of this invention, and that maintainence of paint quality and paint brush quality are greatly improved.

It is apparent that as the level of the paint falls in the bucket, the uprights are crushed to different angles so that the brush is maintained as near as may be to the desired relationship of the level of the paint.

It is also apparent that more than one brush may be maintained; for example two brushes can be placed in side-by-side relationship and tied together at the liner neck.

The scope of this invention is determined by the appended claims, and modifications may be made from the description and drawing without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A liner and frame assembly for a paint bucket, comprising;

1. a thin, flexible, sheet liner closed at the bottom,

open at the top, generally conforming to the internal dimensions of said paint bucket in a horizontal plane and having a greater height than said paint bucket, and

2. a frame, positioned inside said liner, said frame comprising a base positioned at the bottom of said liner and holding said liner bottom expanded, and a plurality of uprights, each upright affixed at one end thereof to said frame base and having a greater height than said paint bucket, said uprights being stiff and holding said liner expanded, and said uprights also being hand deformable, whereby said liner and said uprights may be hand deformed near the tops thereof to contact a paint brush handle and at least partially seal the contents of said paint bucket.

2. A liner and frame assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said liner and said frame are deformed near their tops around and contacting a paint brush handle, forming a neck, and a tie is provided around said neck to hold said uprights in position and hold said liner in at least a partially sealing position around said paint brush handle.

3. A liner and frame assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein a tie is affixed at one end thereof to the exterior of said liner near the top thereof, said tie being stiff and hand deformable.

4. A liner and frame assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein there are at least three said uprights.

5. A liner and frame assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein there are six uprights.

6. A liner and frame assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said liner is comprised of thin sheet transparent plastic.

7. A liner and frame assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said liner is higher than said uprights.

8. A paint bucket and a removable and frame assembly, comprising;

1. a paint bucket, open at the top and closed at the bottom, and

2. a thin, flexible, sheet liner closed at the bottom,

open at the top, generally conforming to the internal dimensions of said paint bucket in a horizontal plane and having a greater height than said paint bucket, and

3. a frame, positioned inside said liner, said frame comprising a base positioned at the bottom of said liner and holding said liner bottom expanded, and a plurality of uprights, each upright affixed at one end thereof to said frame base and having a greater height than said paint bucket, said uprights being stiff and holding said liner expanded, and said uprights also being hand deformable,

whereby said liner and said uprights may be hand deformed near the tops thereof to contact said paint brush handle and at least partially seal the contents of said paint bucket.

9. The method of maintaining paint in a paint bucket and a paint brush having a handle and bristles, during an interruption in painting, comprising;

positioning said paint brush vertically with said bristles down and said bristles in said paint, approximately centered over said paint in said paint bucket,

hand deforming a plurality of stiff uprights and a thin flexible sheet liner extending above said paint bucket so that said uprights and said liner contact said handle of said paint brush to form a neck around said handle,

wrapping a stiff and hand deformable tie around said liner and said uprights at said neck, whereby said paint brush is maintained in said position by said uprights-and said tie, and said paint is at least partially sealed by said liner contacting said paint brush handle. 

1. A liner and frame assembly for a paint bucket, comprising;
 1. a thin, flexible, sheet liner closed at the bottom, open at the top, generally conforming to the internal dimensions of said paint bucket in a horizontal plane and having a greater height than said paint bucket, and
 2. a frame, positioned inside said liner, said frame comprising a base positioned at the bottom of said liner and holding said liner bottom expanded, and a plurality of uprights, each upright affixed at one end thereof to said frame base and having a greater height than said paint bucket, said uprights being stiff and holding said liner expanded, and said uprights also being hand deformable, whereby said liner and said uprights may be hand deformed near the tops thereof to contact a paint brush handle and at least partially seal the contents of said paint bucket.
 2. a frame, positioned inside said liner, said frame comprising a base positioned at the bottom of said liner and holding said liner bottom expanded, and a plurality of uprights, each upright affixed at one end thereof to said frame base and having a greater height than said paint bucket, said uprights being stiff and holding said liner expanded, and said uprights also being hand deformable, whereby said liner and said uprights may be hand deformed near the tops thereof to contact a paint brush handle and at least partially seal the contents of said paint bucket.
 2. A liner and frame assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said liner and said frame are deformed near their tops around and contacting a paint brush handle, forming a neck, and a tie is provided around said neck to hold said uprights in position and hold said liner in at least a partially sealing position around said paint brush handle.
 2. a thin, flexible, sheet liner closed at the bottom, open at the top, generally conforming to the internal dimensions of said paint bucket in a horizontal plane and having a greater height than said paint bucket, and
 3. A liner and frame assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein a tie is affixed at one end thereof to the exterior of said liner near the top thereof, said tie being stiff and hand deformable.
 3. a frame, positioned inside said liner, said frame comprising a base positioned at the bottom of said liner and holding said liner bottom expanded, and a plurality of uprights, each upright affixed at one end thereof to said frame base and having a greater height than said paint bucket, said uprights being stiff and holding said liner expanded, and said uprights also being hand deformable, whereby said liner and said uprights may be hand deformed near the tops thereof to contact said paint brush handle aNd at least partially seal the contents of said paint bucket.
 4. A liner and frame assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein there are at least three said uprights.
 5. A liner and frame assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein there are six uprights.
 6. A liner and frame assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said liner is comprised of thin sheet transparent plastic.
 7. A liner and frame assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said liner is higher than said uprights.
 8. A paint bucket and a removable and frame assembly, comprising;
 9. The method of maintaining paint in a paint bucket and a paint brush having a handle and bristles, during an interruption in painting, comprising; positioning said paint brush vertically with said bristles down and said bristles in said paint, approximately centered over said paint in said paint bucket, hand deforming a plurality of stiff uprights and a thin flexible sheet liner extending above said paint bucket so that said uprights and said liner contact said handle of said paint brush to form a neck around said handle, wrapping a stiff and hand deformable tie around said liner and said uprights at said neck, whereby said paint brush is maintained in said position by said uprights and said tie, and said paint is at least partially sealed by said liner contacting said paint brush handle. 